12 September 2018
1. ‘Test your knowledge’ blind tasting pitting SA against others
Time: 12:00-12:30
Presenter: Ginette De Fleuriot – CWM & Marketing Manager, Vinimark
There is much debate around how South African wines stand up against our international counterparts. In this session we showcase a lineup of six wine in blind tasting format to test the theory that international wines are better. Will you be able to tell the difference?
2. W.O. Cape Town
Time: 14:00-14:30
Presenter: Bennie Howard – CWM & Marketing Manager, Meerendal
This exciting new region combines Constantia, Durbanville, Hout Bay and Philadelphia to encapsulate the city of Cape Town, famous for its amazing beaches, Table Mountain and rich culture. The wines tasted in this session will no doubt provide an authentic flavour of the Mother City.
3. Focusing on Bio-dynamic and Organic wine farming in SA
Time: 15:30-16:00
Presenter: Johnathan Grieve – Proprietor, Avondale
Growing in popularity, organic winemaking is considered to be the ‘way forward’ for many of our producers, while farming bio-dynamically marries a range of elements from our beautiful earth to deliver wines that are true to their terroir as well as being free from all of the nasties.
13 September 2018
1. Cape Site Specific Wines
Time: 11:00-11:30
Presenters: Wilhelm Pienaar – CEO & Winemaker, HermanusPietersfontein Wines
Colyn Truter – Marketing Director, Arendsig Single Vineyard Wines & CSS Group Manage
Terroir has been a buzz-word for quite some time as winemakers and viticulturists strive to bring out the best in each vineyard and show typicity and style in each of the wines. This session will highlight the value in site-specific wines.
2. Taking a look at Cinsault
Time: 12:30-13:00
Presenter: Francois Bezuidenhout – CWM & Winemaker/Director, Bezuidenhout Family Wines
Once one of the stalwarts in the South African wine stable, many vineyards were uprooted over the years, but winemakers are now seeing a Cinsault revolution, with more elegant expressions of this exciting cultivar.
3. Qui si parla anche l’Italiano – Here we also speak some Italian
Time: 14:00-14:30
Presenter: Roberto Bottega - Proprietor, Idiom
Exciting, feisty, delicious and sexy, this is what comes to mind when you think of Italy and so too, of the varietals that come from this region. Here in South Africa, we make some fabulous examples using traditional Italian varietals.
4. New/unusual varietals
Time: 15:30-16:00
Presenters: Lizette Tolken – CWM & Boekenhoutskloof Winery
Carel Nel - Proprietor/Cellarmaster, Boplaas
Experience the ‘new kids on the block’ in this fun tasting. While ‘the usual suspects’ will most likely always have their place, there are a number of varietals that have been planted in South Africa that buck the trend and you’d be surprised to see how well they stand up!
14 September 2018
1. The colour of wine – How our industry is changing
Time: 11:00-11:30
Presenter: Ntsiki Biyela – Winemaker, Aslina
The landscape of the ‘traditional’ South African winemaker is changing fast as an exciting new generation of winemakers of colour have been making their mark on the scene and boy-oh-boy, are they making some extraordinary waves with exciting wines!
2. ‘Finding the sweet spot’ – Celebrating the history of SA sweet/fortifieds
Time: 14:00-14:30
Presenter: Dr. Winifred Bowman – Cape Wine Master
This is where it all began as in the 1700’s the sweet wines from the Cape drew interest from the highest courts and palaces in Europe. This is still the case today, however the sweet wines are somewhat more readily available. Whether botrityzed or fortified, if you have a sweet tooth, there’s nowhere else to be.
3. Amorim MCC showcase
Time: 15:30-16:00
Presenters: Elunda Basson – Winemaker, Pongracz-Distell and Paul Gerber – Winemaker, Le Lude
Bubbles are the perfect accompaniment whether celebrating or commiserating, or perhaps just over breakfast. South African Méthode Cap Classiques are of an exceptional quality and standard and come in a variety of shapes and forms. Whichever way you enjoy yours, just make sure it’s MCC!